Paola Mencarelli and the Florence Cocktail Week team
Florence Cocktail Week is back for its 10th edition, running April 16–22, 2026, and the city's bar scene has come a long way since the festival launched in 2016 with just 13 venues. This year, more than 70 bars are taking part, which gives you a sense of how deeply the week has embedded itself into the city's calendar.
Organized by Paola Mencarelli, the 2026 edition has a dual focus: celebrating Italian bartending talent and nudging the conversation toward more mindful drinking. Every guest bartender appearing at events will be Italian or Italian-based abroad.
Each of the 55 selected bars will offer three exclusive drinks during the week: an original signature cocktail, a low- or no-ABV wellness option, and a classic that nods to mixology's roots.
Beyond the bar crawl, there's a lot going on. The contest that kicked off the very first edition in 2016 is returning, held at Locale Firenze on April 16. A new "Barkeeper" initiative carves out dedicated time for resident bartenders to talk through their work with guests — less performance, more conversation. There's also a young bartenders' program putting 31 under-25 talents behind the stick at seven different venues.
To mark the anniversary, the festival is also releasing Cocktails in Florence, a printed guide covering 59 venues with recipes and notes on each spot.
The full events calendar is live on the official website.